Disclaimer: Sonic and related characters are copyright of Sega®

Jewels...precious jewels. Brilliant, dazzling, breathtaking...describe them as you will, whatever sums up the word. That's what I live to collect. It's practically been my hobby my whole life. Eventually, it became my career and to be very honest, my obsession. We're all obsessed over some things, right?

Most of my co-workers at G.U.N think I'm a bit crazy ogling over jewels. Hehe, like they never met a treasure hunter that wasn't! So? No shame there for me. I started to collect the common ones...sapphire, emerald, topaz. Finally, after a few more years of honing my skills, I vied for the more rare, delectable ones: pink diamonds, red beryls and multi-colored musgravites. Of course, they didn't come without a lot of trouble.

Not when you're traveling the world and running into the law, rival treasure hunters, a king or tycoon's sophisticated security system, well of course those kinds won't come easy! Sometimes, I'll take the simpler route and make an offer of trade or a considerable sum of money for the little beauties. I don't always have to experience the thrill of obtaining them in some risky way. Of course, I always utilize special methods in ensuring the gemstone is authentic, and I'm not being ripped off for a fake one. Blecchh! Please don't get me started on the fake ones. They might as well be the candy gems off Ring Pops!

I sit on a plush green mat, with a beautiful view of a shimmering lake and clusters of evergreen trees all around me. I finish the last of my veggie burger as familiar acquaintances around me mingle about at this lively barbecue party. It's being hosted by Sally Acorn, heir to one of the most affluent kingdoms in the world. Before I start wondering just how many jewels and other treasure delights the princess has stashed away in her castle, I get distracted by two goofballs several yards across from me.

I watch as Tails sneaks up on Sonic, grinning mischievously. The blue hedgehog is lying in a comfy lounge chair, eyes closed. The little fox uses the tip of one of his bushy tails to brush under Sonic's nose. I always thought that nose looked like a skinny balloon. Sonic wriggles it a bit, as his friend quickly retreats behind the chair. Tails repeats the tickling again, but for the most part, Sonic appears unfazed by his teasing antics. Then he brushes it against the inner part of one of the hedgehog's ears.

The ear flicks for a moment. Tails tickles it again. Suddenly, Sonic lashes out and snatches the fox's tail. Tails freaks out and tries to run, but Big Blue has a tight hold of him. He then lets go of Tails, sending the hapless fox flying into nearby hedge bush. Why that sneaky little devil! Sonic lets out a chuckle, obviously getting a kick out of besting his friend (no pun intended).

"Hi, Ms. Rouge!" I turn to see a young rabbit jogging up to me.

"Hello there, Cream," I greet, smiling down at her. "Having fun?"

She nods eagerly. "I'm just glad it's not boxercise!"

Oh yes, I remember that. That was one of Amy Rose's latest fads and she'd been putting the poor thing through those tortuous lessons every day. Cream got bored with it quickly and thought Amy was dishing out the toughies on her, especially when they had been taking care of the ancient robot, Emerl. Not that there's anything wrong with boxercise, but Pinkie could be overbearing at times (that's my nickname for her. Shhhhh, she doesn't like when I call her that).

"Well now, that's a relief!" I chuckled. "Amy gets pretty carried away with those things, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, it's scary sometimes! I'm gonna get a soda. You want one?"

"Sure. I'll have a Cherry Pepsi."

"Ok! Be right back!"

"Thanks."

With that, she scampers over to an ice chest sitting near a picnic table. Cream can be such a sweet girl, but for her age, she's still quite the innocent little flower. Though she's already had a bad taste of the world, when that looney Eggman kidnapped and terrorized her awhile back.

Not too far, I see the Chaotix gang and Antoine Depardieu exchanging crude jokes.

"...And so, the three men went out to the fields to pick a vegetable or a fruit," Vector blabs out. "The first one came back with some ears of corn, the second brought back some squash, and the third a watermelon. And then the man at the bar said to them, 'Now, if you want to marry my daughter, you have to stick the vegetable up your ass. The first one who shoves it all the way up there wins! BWAHAHAHAAAA!"

Antoine and Charmy burst out laughing, while Espio looks disgusted, like Vector just threw up on the ground or something.

"Oh, zateees so foh-ny!" Antoine cries, slapping Vector's back. "Your jokes ah zee best, monami!"

I just roll my eyes. Sometimes, Vector's jokes can so flat and raunchy. Though I'll admit he does come up with some really good ones from time to time. Not too far, I spot Shadow sitting on a large garden rock. I still couldn't believe Amy had managed to convince him to come to the barbecue party. Shadow The Hedgehog attending a social gathering?

Frankly, I'm surprised Amy isn't that intimidated by him. Shadow can be scary sometimes, especially with sinister red eyes that'll bore a hole into you, even from the back, and a dangerous power that could take out just about anything within a 200 foot radius. I know I sometimes felt a little uneasy around him while we were working together on several missions. He occasionally stares at Amy. Hmmm, I wonder if he's developed a soft spot for Pinkie?

After all, she's the one that coughed up his memories of what his late friend, Maria Robotnik, had asked of him: to help save the Earth. She may also remind him a little of Maria. But I suppose some kind of familiarity is what the ol' grouch needs after enduring such a horrible tragedy. Or finding out his past with Black Doom. Maybe now, Shadow can live a normal life. Though, there's nothing normal about that guy.

Cream comes running back with the two sodas. She offers me one, and I politely accept. Not too far, music is blasting from a silver boombox. It sounds like it's "Super Sonic Racing." What kind music are they playing? Okay, it's not a bad beat for a silly techno song, but I'd wish they'd put on some jazz or bossa nova. Oh well, I guess it's better than hearing that rock-rap drivel earlier - Sonic kept playing "His World" over and over and over again, and I was just about ready to grab the boombox and throw it in the lake!

I stretch and flex my wings to ring out any achy muscles. Nearby, some flies circle around a half-eaten hot dog someone left on the table. Now that's just plain sloppy and wasteful. Tails joins Antoine, Rotor and Sally to share some more hot links that Bunnie Rabbot is bringing over from the grill. As I absently thumb my fire opal pendant, it suddenly comes to my mind: I still need to find the Light of Maui.

It's rumored to be a mammoth pink diamond, cut in a perfect octopear shape. It's also been reported to be hidden somewhere in the depths of the Hawaiian mountains, where it is protected by the native Likua tribe. It would certainly make for one treasure hunter's ultimate prize! If true, then I must have it! Yes! I gotta have it! I will have it! It is mine! To cherish and to caress and-

"Hey! Finally back, are ya?" I hear Vector bellow.

I turn around to see someone familiar approaching.

"I got some more grapes," Knuckles said, carrying an armful of green, red and dark blue bunches of the fruit. He dumps them on the picnic table where the rest of the food is piled at, before plopping down in a patio chair. A few kids I don't recognize squeal and run toward the grapes, attacking them with a ravenous fervor.

He's been gone for awhile. Without really being aware of it, I find myself staring at the red echidna. The Guardian of Floating Island, and a descendant of the ancient Knuckles Clan. What a name for on a tribe! Were they called that because they all had big, beefy fists like him? Or was knocking out someone their only way of resolving a problem? Well anyhow, he comes from a line of guardians who are dedicated to protecting a massive green jewel, called the Master Emerald.

That's another prize I want back, heehee! But damn, I'll probably have to deal with that lunkhead again to get it. Being its sole protector, Knuckles can be quite an opponent. I've fought and tackled with him over the Master Emerald before, and I have to say that his fighting abilities rival my own. I almost had the Emerald that time too, but I had to screw things up and almost got myself killed - slipped off a catwalk and straight into a hot inferno. I didn't have enough time to break the fall by propelling my wings, because I was too startled at the moment. Damn it!

Luckily, Knuckles caught my hand and prevented me from being roasted bat. Talk about a fast reflex there! Okay, I admit that I'm grateful he's the one that had to save me, as angry and embarrassed as I was at the time. Yes, I could have been more nicer to him, but I had my pride as well. Still, from meeting that silly echidna, I could see that he was very loyal to the Master Emerald. He won't let anyone near it, not even Shadow - and it takes alot of guts to stand up to Your Royal Darkness!

But Knuckles can have his vulnerabilities too. He can be naive from time to time. I suppose growing up away from civilization will do that to you. Hell, I don't think he even knew what a toilet was when he got off that island! He can also be gullible and a hothead. Tell him the sky is falling, and he'll believe you faster than you can say "tuttifruitti!" Tell him Sonic was talking crap about him, and he just might rush off to put a foot up the hedgehog's arse. Of course, Knuckles doesn't always take everything at face value. He can have his moments of shrewdness too.

And once I got to know him more, he wasn't that intimidating a person. I could get away with teasing him, and he won't go for my neck...most of the time. He'll just get flustered and try to insult me back. I can tell Sonic and the others love to occasionally tease him too.

But when Knuckles gets really, really upset, I know when to back off. But when he's just plain mad, he's rather...ummm, cute. And he has such a smile on him that sort of draws you in - warm and cocky, ready for some action. And his eyes are a deep purple, like a beautiful amethyst. And that voice...

What am I thinking?! No, no, don't think of him in that way! Think about-uh, your jewel collection! Yeah! That's it! They're more yummy-looking than he is! What?! You thought that? But-but...well, he is...handsome in his own way. He's so brave and masculine and-

Stop it!

These crazy thoughts are swirling in my head as I stare at Knuckles, a few yards away. That's when he catches me ogling him.

"What?" he demands.

I suddenly snap out of it. "Oh, nothing! I was just - um, checking out that tree past you."

Knuckles just looks at me, suspicious. I nervously go back to sipping my soda, hoping he forgets about it. Okay, maybe I do have a crush on him. There, I said it! But why am I attracted to him? I mean, he's an echidna, for Pete's sake! And I'm a bat! Interspecies love stuff just doesn't happen in nature!

Whooboy, I really need to get away from here. Go spend a vacation in Bora Bora and get a foot massage or something. I'm just about going a bit off my rocker here. Maybe I'm a suffering a burn-out with my job? Maybe I haven't told all my jewels how much I love them enough? As I let out a huge sigh, there's a sudden commotion of high-pitched squeals and snarls nearby.

"Hey! Stop it!" Cream cries.

I look up to see four Chao creatures fighting over a couple of hotlinks on the grass.

"Chao! Chao!" Cheese, which is Cream's little pet Chao, yells. It's the only word he can say, though Cream seems to understand his limited verbiage. I think he's telling his fellow Chao to stop fighting too.

But the Chao creatures don't seem to want to listen and two more join the brawl until it explodes into a puffy cloud of tiny blue fists and biting.

"Hey! Stop it!" Cream repeats, frantically rushing over to them. Sally, Tails, Blaze, and Silver join her.

"Alright now, stop fighting, you guys!" Silver says, reaching to pull two of them apart. "They're only hotlinks and-OOWW!"

Silver pulls back with a vicious-looking Chao biting into his glove. "Hey! Get off me!"

The white hedgehog flails his hand around to throw the little creature off, but it's got a nasty grip on him like a piranha fish.

"Get off! Get off! Oww!"

Vector and Antoine, already buzzed from their drinks, start laughing while Shadow looks a bit baffled at the scene. Blaze then tries to pull the Chao off Silver's hand, but her tail accidentally gets near the fight, and another rowdy Chao chomps into it from behind.

"Eeee! What the-?!" Blaze cries, turning around. "Ow! Ow!"

"Hey! What the hyell has gotten into ya'll? Stop fighting now!" Bunnie yells at them, but they all ignore her as they continue brawling and growling like a pack of unruly dogs.

Tails tries to break up two of the Chao without getting mauled. Cream and Cheese are holding another one down, whose screaming his little head off and trying to reach for one of the torn-up hotlinks on the grass. Sonic rushes in to help them.

"Sheesh! I thought the Chao were supposed to be nice and peaceful!" he exclaims.

I thought so too! What the hell just happened? I'm so confused. Okay, I need to look at a jewel. I really do. I need one now.

"Alright, you little sucker, you asked for it!" Silver yells, as a crackling blue aura of light instantly flares up around his whole body. He then emits a powerful energy force that causes the Chao to go flying off his hand and straight into...Knuckles.

Knuckles catches the Chao, startled. It then growls at him in such a menacing way and before I know it, it's taking a bite out of his nose.

"AAAHH!" Knuckles screams, trying to pull it off. "Let go!"

A sudden giddy feeling comes over me. I can't help it. It's so funny seeing Knuckles in such a ridiculous predicament that I start laughing before I could stop myself. Nearby, Amy is trying to pull the other rabid Chao off of Blaze's tail, while another one is hissing at Sonic and Sally, trying to protect its precious piece of hotlink.

Whoa, who would have thought such cute little creatures could be so violent over some food? I guess we didn't know the Chao very well. At least, I hope not all of them are like this! Maybe it's some hormonal stage they're going through? Maybe they turn into little monsters at the sight of hotlinks? Ohhh, but poor Knuckles. He'll probably need some bandages over that chewed-up snout of his. Maybe I'll bring him some, and tease him about it afterwards. My my, this is going to be one long evening!

~ Fin ~